Pinardville community plan ready for public review

GOFFSTOWN — The Plan Pinardville Committee says it has listened to residents’ concerns and the 81-page final draft of the proposed community plan is ready for public review.

Residents will have until Aug. 17 to submit their concerns before the plan goes to the Planning Board on Sept. 12. The goal is to have the plan adopted as part of Goffstown’s master plan.

The plan is available online at www.goffstown.com and at town offices to give the public a chance to review it and voice comments, said Brian Rose, Goffstown planning director and committee member.

“The committee voted in their (July 2) meeting to take out the street connections on Petain, Haig and Joffre streets. Hopefully that shows the community that we are listening to your concerns and want to make it a plan that the community will support,” Rose said.

The Plan Pinardville Committee will hold a public meeting on Tuesday at 6 p.m., to discuss the final draft and a new zoning code, which will go to voters in March 2014. Meetings are also televised on Goffstown TV.

The plan has two parts — a master plan and a zoning ordinance — that will be reviewed separately by the Planning Board. New zoning in Pinardville, called the Smart Code, is geared to help shape the future of specific sections in town. The goal is to incorporate smart growth designs to provide affordable housing and more livable areas in Pinardville, while taking the town’s character into consideration.

The committee is stressing that drawings in the draft are for illustration purposes only, and provide a way to look at possible development in the area, he said.

“There is no requirement on any homeowner, landowner or business,” said Rose. “There is no taking of people’s property with this plan. This plan will not require them to do anything they don’t want to do.”

The Plan Pinardville Committee has been meeting in public work sessions since January to develop a proposed master plan to promote mixed-use development in town. The committee also held a weeklong series of workshops and brainstorming events for the public in May called Planapalooza for Pinardville.

The plan has met some resistance from residents. Some people said the planning process is happening too fast, while others are concerned about taxes, increased traffic and changes in lifestyle. The committee has said some items in the plan will occur soon, and others will take years or decades to achieve.